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My sister’s birthday was yesterday and if couldn’t already tell, I love birthdays –actually … any holiday!– L and I are complete night and day. She’s blonde, I’m a brunette. She’s tall, I’m 5’2”. She doesn’t go to bed until wee hours of the night, I’m passed out by 10pm … you get my gist. We’re total opposites (that’s what makes us gel and get along so well) but one thing we both have in common is our love for citrus flavored anything. With our love for lemon & limes, and her birthday being in the middle of citrus season, a “lemon & lime” themed party couldn’t be any more appropriate.

To add lemon and lime theme, I created three citrus based drinks that I knew would be both satisfying and refreshing. The flavors I concocted were limeade, lemon & lime water, and a lime fizzle. Definitely delicious and refreshing!

Of course cupcakes made an appearance at the party … how could they not!?! L & I love cupcakes and it would not be a birthday party without them! Not only does L love limes, she also love margaritas … when trying to think of the cupcake flavor for her birthday, it clicked … hmm, lime & margarita … what a perfect combination for a cupcake!? Yep, a lime margarita cupcake. Let me tell you, this cupcake resembled the traditional margarita perfectly. The moist vanilla cake with a hint of lime complimented the lime & tequila frosting beautifully.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 cupcake pans with baking liners. Using an electric mixer, beat 2 sticks butter and the granulated sugar until creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs, egg white and oil. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. In a large glass measuring cup, stir together the milk, 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. On low speed, mix in one-third of the wet mixture, then one-third of the dry mixture. Repeat twice, ending with the dry mixture. Mix in half of the grated lime peel.

Fill each baking liner about three-quarters full with batter. Bake until the cupcakes spring back when gently touched, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, using the electric mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter until creamy. Beat in 1 cup confectioners’ sugar. Beat in the tequila, and the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, lime peel, 1 teaspoon salt and the food coloring until smooth and creamy. Beat in the remaining 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar one-third at a time, until just soft enough to spread.

Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes. Add the sugar crystals to a bowl; lay each frosted cupcake on its side in the bowl and gently rotate to form a rim of sugar. Top each cupcake with a lime wedge candy.

These cupcakes will make any summer holiday or Cinco de Mayo party complete … or even try making them for the lime obsessed in your family.